Schools in Perth

We (a family of 4) plan to stay in Perth, WA from January 07 till July
07. Our two boys (11 and 13 years) have to go to school for 5 month.
Can anybody recommend a good school - located in the south/east suburbs
or around Freemantle? Maybe there is even a school that offers german
as a subject?
Is it difficult to join a grade for this time?

Walt88 wrote:
We (a family of 4) plan to stay in Perth, WA from January 07 till July
07. Our two boys (11 and 13 years) have to go to school for 5 month.
Can anybody recommend a good school - located in the south/east suburbs
or around Freemantle? Maybe there is even a school that offers german
as a subject?
Is it difficult to join a grade for this time?

Hi,

I'm afraid I can't give you any advice on specific schools, since I grew
up and lived in the western suburbs of Perth. You'll be looking for a
school in either the Canning or Fremantle/Peel school districts:

http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/district...yMap_Perth.jpg

http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/districts/index.htm

I had a friend who was a maths teacher at Applecross Senior High School,
and he seemed to think that it was a good school. Bear in mind that
government schools and private schools are quite different in Australia
- I'm not sure what your preference would be in that regard. Private
schools tend to have a somewhat higher prestige and academic ranking,
but they cost a lot, and many think that their higher ranking is mainly
due to the selectivity of the students they accept, rather than superior
teaching per se.

In terms of the period that they'll be there, the school year starts in
February and has 4 terms (at least in Fremantle it does - it's probably
the same in other districts):

http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/deo/fremantle/calendar.htm

Looking at the calendar, it seems that the second term finishes on the
7th July, so your kids will get two full terms in, and being the first
two terms, they will not be the only new members of their classes, which
should make it easier for them to adjust.

Depending on exactly when your boys birthdays are, they might be in
different schools. High school usually starts the calendar year in which
they turn 13. Earlier than that is primary school. If your younger son
turns 12 this year, and thus 13 next hyear, they should both be in high
school.

I suggest that once you decide upon a school, that you contact the
school and request some materials that will help your two boys prepare
for their upcoming two terms of school. This could be in the form of
some preparatory coursework or reading, but could also include some
description of how school and school social life works over there.

I reckon they'll have a great time. BTW, how much choice do you
currently have in terms of where you'll be living?


Tom

Thank you Tom for your valuable information.
Concerning your last question: We are completely free with our choice
of living.
From what I've found so far I thought south/east is OK and that I hve
to narrow down my search.
As an overall information (and the reason why I put it here): We stay 1
year as a holiday in Australia. We will travel around in a motorhome
for 7 months and then stay 5 month in Perth. Our boys need to go to
school for 5 months in order to commence school here in Austria in the
next grade (also to keep their friends)
Walter

Walt88 wrote:
Thank you Tom for your valuable information.
Concerning your last question: We are completely free with our choice
of living.
From what I've found so far I thought south/east is OK and that I hve
to narrow down my search.
As an overall information (and the reason why I put it here): We stay 1
year as a holiday in Australia. We will travel around in a motorhome
for 7 months and then stay 5 month in Perth. Our boys need to go to
school for 5 months in order to commence school here in Austria in the
next grade (also to keep their friends)
Walter

Some of the south east suburbs can seem a long way out of town, a long
way from the beach, and a bit isolated in my opinion. For those reasons,
I would look for something close to one of the rivers (Canning or Swan)
or the ocean (Fremantle). Those places will tend to be more expensive of
course, but you should still be able to find something reasonable in
price. Fremantle itself is a fun place to go to, both in terms of it's
history, port, things to do with the family, as well as bars and
restaurants. Just north of Fremantle, Port beach and Leighton Beach are
nice places to swim.

Sounds like you're going to have a fantastic trip.

Tom

Tom Johnstone wrote in news:dv9dch$d53$1
@news.doit.wisc.edu:

Walt88 wrote:
Thank you Tom for your valuable information.
Concerning your last question: We are completely free with our choice
of living.
From what I've found so far I thought south/east is OK and that I hve
to narrow down my search.

I just wanted to follow up on the OP and advise him that he probably
*doesn't* want the south/east suburbs of Perth. In Perth the east is mainly
lower class and the west (being on the coast) more desirable. With a couple
of exceptions, the SE suburbs are mainly endless lower/working/battling
class suburban sprawl with little to interest the vistor - or indeed the
local.

R.



--
"To a good wicket-keeper much may be forgiven"

I just wanted to follow up on the OP and advise him that he probably
*doesn't* want the south/east suburbs of Perth. In Perth the east is mainly
lower class and the west (being on the coast) more desirable. With a couple
of exceptions, the SE suburbs are mainly endless lower/working/battling
class suburban sprawl with little to interest the vistor - or indeed the
local.


Thanx Reece, I'll keep that in mind
Walter

Walt88 wrote:
I just wanted to follow up on the OP and advise him that he probably
*doesn't* want the south/east suburbs of Perth. In Perth the east is mainly
lower class and the west (being on the coast) more desirable. With a couple
of exceptions, the SE suburbs are mainly endless lower/working/battling
class suburban sprawl with little to interest the vistor - or indeed the
local.


Thanx Reece, I'll keep that in mind
Walter

As I said, along the river there are some nice suburbs - Applecross for
example.

Tom